Gospel R&B comes back, accolades piled higher

Quincy Jones, the legendary soul star, was so impressed with this group of rhythm and blues singers he wrote of their talents on the sleeve of his own album:
“They are the greatest vocal ensemble on the planet. On this subject there is nothing else to discuss. That’s the way it be’s.”
That group was Take 6. And if they are truly the greatest vocal ensemble, Korea will find out next week.
Certainly, Jones was not the only one to be impressed by the group. Almost every album released by Take 6 has been nominated for a Grammy award.
It will be the second time the group has come to Seoul to perform, said Yuyu Classic, the domestic promoter. Audiences are surprised by how much a human voice can sound like brass instruments or even like percussion, the promoter said of the group.
Take 6 started out as an a cappella quartet in 1980. Claude Mcknight, the leader of the band, was only a freshman in college when he found three people to sing with him. While they were rehearsing in a campus bathroom, Mark Kibble overheard them and asked to join the group; he became its fifth member. Kibble later invited Mervyn Warren to join as well, making it a sextet. In 1990, however, Warren left the band. Kibble invited his brother Joey to take Warren’s place. Take 6’s lineup hasn’t changed since.
The group’s swinging harmony-rich gospel sound has impressed some of America’s greatest entertainers. The group has appeared with Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, David Foster and Stevie Wonder. In the process, they became famous in their own right.
R&B pop stars like “Boyz II Men,” “N’SYNC” and “Coming of Age” often cite Take 6 as a major influence.
So far the group boasts eight Grammy awards, 10 Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations. It also topped Downbeat Magazine’s readers’ and critics’ polls for seven consecutive years as the best jazz vocal group.
For its Seoul performance, Take 6 will be performing its greatest hits from 10 albums released during its 26 years of performing.

by Lee Min-a

Take 6 is performing at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on March 1 at 4 p.m. Tickets range from 30,000 won ($31) to 100,000 won. For reservations, call, 1588-7890. For more information, call, (02) 586-2722.